Open Studio
with Martina O'Brien

Join artist Martina O’Brien for an Open Studio event in Butler Gallery’s Garden Studio.

During her month-long residency in the Garden Studio, Martina has developed research and experimentation in site-specific lensless photography. Come along to get an insight into her working practice.

Over recent years, Martina's work has predominantly responded to industrial and scientific practices that are transforming our relationships with the ocean, from the extraction of the seabed through deep sea mining, to research into the effects of climate change on deep-water corals. This residency has allowed Martina to extend her artistic practice through ecological inquiry, using the location of the Butler Gallery’s Garden Studio and its proximity to the River Nore as the catalyst for artistic exploration.

About the Artist:

Martina O’Brien is an Irish visual artist with a focus on art, science, and ecology. She holds an M.A. in Visual Art Practice from IADT Dún Laoghaire and a National Certificate in Photography and a BA from National College of Art and Design.

Her recent solo exhibitions have included brittle record at Lexicon Municipal Gallery in 2025, draft fissure at Galway Arts Centre in 2024 and midnight zone at Highlanes Municipal Gallery in 2023

Recognized for her interdisciplinary approach, O’Brien has received numerous awards, including several Arts Council of Ireland Visual Arts Bursary Awards and Kildare County Council Arts Act Awards. Her work is held in public and private collections including Butler Gallery and the Office of Public Works.

This is a free ticketed event. The Garden Studio has limited capacity, please book a place to attend.